CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jan. 22, 2019 – This past year, the Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF) continued to make great strides in the local and national pediatric cancer community.

The most significant development was the creation of a leading-edge rare pediatric cancer treatment room at Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital. This is one of the leading MIBG Therapy Suites in the nation and is slated to change the landscape of local cancer care. ISF completed its $1 million commitment to build the treatment room which will be used to treat children with neuroblastoma and in advanced clinical trials to test new products on different types of cancers. Construction began mid-2018 and was completed in eight months. The first patient was successfully treated there in December. More information is available at http://bit.ly/MIBGTherapy.

Among the $672,000 that the Isabella Santos Foundation donated to their mission of fighting pediatric cancer, $600,000 was given to Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital and $30,000 went to The Genomics Department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to help fund the Neuroblastoma Killer Cell Trial. Additional funds were supplied to local Charlotte organizations that support kids and families fighting pediatric cancer.

Another significant mark ISF made, was partnering with Community Blood Center of the Carolinas to open CBCC’s first blood center in South Charlotte. Named in Isabella’s honor, the Isabella Santos Center is a state-of-the art blood center located in Ballantyne.

In addition, Erin Santos, executive director of and president of ISF, was named the Housing Opportunity Foundation’s “2018 Humanitarian of the Year” and was recognized among The Charlotte Observer’s editorial board among those who “made Charlotte better in 2018.”

This year, ISF is committed to raising $5 million to fund the ISF Rare and Solid Tumor Program at Levine Children’s Hospital. This breakthrough program is designed to research and treat a wide range of deadly pediatric cancers, and will allow the hospital to expand their clinical trials and recruit a national expert in rare and solid tumors.

“We are extremely proud of our results and the impact we made on the pediatric cancer community in 2018,” said Santos. “We are very grateful for our tremendous base of volunteers, supporters, partners and staff for helping us achieve these incredible accomplishments and improve the lives of countless childhood cancer patients.”

About Isabella Santos Foundation

The Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF) is a 501(c)3 childhood cancer foundation dedicated to raising funds for research for rare pediatric cancers, and charities that directly impact the lives of children with cancer. ISF was founded in honor of Isabella Santos from Charlotte, N.C. who lost her battle against neuroblastoma. ISF is committed to improving rare pediatric cancer treatment options in an effort to increase the survival rate of kids with cancer so they can live their dreams. ISF has donated over $3 million to date to expand the scope of pediatric cancer research and treatment, and to fill various needs surrounding childhood cancers.